Formal Planning permission is not needed for the Class Q Barn Conversions under the General Permitted Development Order. Subject to a set list of requirements, some barns may be converted into offices and residential premises provided they meet the criteria set. The criteria can be difficult to navigate and there are intricacies to how we can interpret the policies however the headline points are as follows:
- Not listed or within the curtilage of a listed building;
- Total area is not in the a conservation area, national park or area of outstanding natural beauty;
- Must have been in agricultural use on the 20th March 2013 or ten years prior to the conversion which ever is greater;
- Once converted the finished building must not be greater than the original footprint;
- The building must be able to be converted without any structural interventions i.e. no new footprints, floor slabs or load bearing walls;
- No new significant openings i.e. windows and doors are permitted only ones to allow conversion.
Do I need an Architect?
In short – yes. As architects it’s our job to get the most out of the building and ensure that you are meeting with the requirements of class Q. We can also assist with the additional information required including a structural appraisal of the existing building, landscape impact and submitting a certificate of Lawfulness to the local authority to ensure that your project complies with the order.
Local Requirements:
Each local authority as an approach to Class Q Barn Conversions. As part of our process when approaching a Class Q application, we would seek out their requirements.
We have had a number of successful Class Q Barn Conversions in Herefordshire and the neighbouring counties. For Herefordshire Local Requirements click here.
